How much longer in Separated?

[jon2911]

Hey Michelle! I think that's true. Definitely BIL and SIL noticed me. W was with her family all week, so I only heard from her a couple times. It was tough. Had to get my motorcycle repaired but it was covered and all is good now.

Had such a fantastic time tonight down on 6th Street in Austin, and I have some processing to do. Happy New Year everyone?

[MichelleLT]

Definitely a Happy New Year.

Make it better than last year!

[jon2911]

Definitely! I'm loving my new heated gloves for the motorcycle. They plug into the battery and run wires through my jacket. It's a little cold in the morning, but with them I'm just fine. By lunchtime I don't even need my jacket. it feels like I got a new bike!

I have a show down in downtown on Friday night, CD release party and the culmination of a year and a half of work. So excited, and practice every night this week is keeping me busy.

Talked briefly a couple times with W, and we texted Happy New Year back and forth. she told me yesterday that her step-brother died. he was battling cancer for quite a while but I'm sad I never got to meet him. W sounded sad, and I said "that's a lot all at once". She got quiet and said "yeah, it is".

[MichelleLT]

Awesome! That sounds nice and cozy.

Very cool about the CD and such!

W is just having one thing after another lately! Poor girl.

Glad you guys are talking pretty regularly. She must appreciate your support.

[jon2911]

New Years I started out at my best friend from college's house. I took his wife for a ride and let her try my new gloves and she loved it. The party was so fun, great food and they had the new XBox Kinect that senses your movements.

I left about 9:30 and made the 45-minute drive downtown. Had a blast with some of my best friends from high school. They have a kid but are still a lot of fun, I like that.

The bar was all 80's music, laser lights and old music videos. So much fun. My friend's wife went off to dance for a while, and we were watching a woman across the bar getting hit on by some guys and trying to guess if they were gay. Then one of them came over and said "my friend over there thinks you're really hot. But she wants to know if you're gay or straight." Welcome to Austin.

She came over and we talked for a while. I realized then that my friend didn't have his wedding ring on. He said it had been bothering his finger. She left for a bit and then came back, really laying it on. This went on for an hour.

[jon2911]

It was fun. My friend kept wanting to know why she thought he was gay, something we've made fun of him for since high school. She said she sent her friend over like a wing girl first because she thought we'd be jerks. I wanted to laugh when my friend's wife came back, but fortunately the "wing girl" got so drunk she stumbled into the men's bathroom and had to be taken care of.

He felt bad after and said we should have mentioned we were married, but I said we didn't do it on purpose, and it wouldn't have been nearly as much fun that way. His wife didn't mind anyway. We talked for a while after that, my friend has been working out hard for 6 months and looks great. We made a deal to hit it hard for 6 months and hit Hippie Hollow, a great Austin institution, this summer. He asked me if I'd thought about dating, and I said not right now.

This week I've been thinking I need to have more nights like that. W's ditch is so crazy and I've been getting pulled back in.

[jon2911]

Thanks Michelle! Yes, we are talking a lot. I asked her when she's coming to visit, and she said BIL's funeral is next weekend, so it will be a while. I told her I can come there also. W sounds sad, and it's hard to keep a conversation going. I need to think of more things to ask her about when I call her. This hasn't been a problem before, but hopefully it's just everything she has going on. Knowing I have next weekend free also has been nice, I've been able to make some plans.

I thought W's family stuff would calm down now and she'd be able to visit more, but it's been the opposite so far. Just GALing and trying to be patient.

The CD release show was so much fun last night. Partied afterward until 5 AM, and getting the Harley serviced today. The dealership is so fun on Saturdays. It's supposed to be COLD here starting tomorrow, even a little snow. I'm looking forward to putting the heated gloves to use. Trying to get my truck diagnosed tomorrow also.

[MichelleLT]

Glad the CD release and everything went well.

I imagine both your lives have been turned upside down the last couple weeks to some extent. I'm sure it will take her a while to recover her emotional equilibrium.

Patience is good and necessary. Distractions are good for that.

[jon2911]

Thanks Michelle!

The next week after posting that I lost my job. It was really a blow, but almost immediately I got paid for filling in at my brother's church in Killeen and got hired for a musical at the theater there. Crazy. The musical is "The Civil War" and it's great to do it in front of a military crowd.

There are some job possibilities, and I have a lot of work to do on that this week. Meeting with Boss #2 on Friday to discuss possible full-time.

Good contact with W as well. I'm definitely feeling unsettled with it all, but have been working out hard and lost 16 pounds already! Only 15 more to my goal, might blow by that and keep going. Good meeting with C today as well. Will post more as time allows.

[MichelleLT]

Wow! You've been quite busy!

Sorry to hear about your job, but glad you've been keeping busy and found some other opportunities.

Glad to hear you and W are still talking. Any more baby steps? Have you seen her?

Good for you on the workouts!

Looking forward to your update.